Man sentenced to prison for concealing stolen items

Tuesday

Dec 24, 2013 at 11:23 AMDec 24, 2013 at 11:23 AM

By Matt DurrTwitter: @mdurrHDN

HILLSDALE — The Hillsdale man who admitted to stealing numerous items from Walmart in November was sentenced to five years in prison Monday by Judge Michael Smith.Earlier this month, Hart pleaded guilty to one count of receiving and concealing stolen property more than $1,000 but less than $20,000, just a week after he was sentenced to 11 months in jail for one count of first-degree retail fraud.Hart will spend at least 23 months in prison for his crimes and was given credit for 33 days served. He must also pay more than $500 in restitution, and $198 in fines and costs.Last month during his arraignment in circuit court, Hart admitted to stealing items and keeping them in his Hillsdale residence. Among the items stolen were a TV, a Blu-Ray player, a blender and other electronic items. During the arraignment, Smith asked how Hart stole the items.Hart said he simply walked in and loaded up a shopping cart with the items and walked out. He added that no one stopped him from walking out and that he used a friend's car to transport the merchandise back to his Hillsdale apartment. After being grilled by Smith, Hart admitted that he stole the car from a neighbor.When asked why he stole the merchandise, Hart said he didn't have a reason, he just wanted it. He also said he was arrested when police saw him outside of his home taking out the trash and asked if they could search his home. Once they were inside, officers found the stolen merchandise.As part of a plea bargain reached with prosecutors, three counts of first-degree retail fraud and one count of possession of marijuana were dismissed and he was not treated as a habitual offender.